‘Hellaro’ 1st Gujarati film to win top national award

Ahmedabad: “Hellaro” scripted history on Friday by bagging the National Film Award in the best feature film category; it is the first Gujarati film to win this accolade. “Hellaro”, which will hit cinema halls later this year, was chosen as the best film of 2018 from a long list popular Hindi films such as “Uri: The Surgical Strike”, “Andhadhun”, “Badhai Ho” and several regional films.

The last time a Gujarati film came close to winning this honour was about four decades ago when Ketan Mehta’s “Bhavni Bhavai” received the National Award for the best feature film on national integration. “Hellaro”, set in a remote village, portrays the journey of women from suppression to expression, said Abhishek Shah, who makes his début as a director. “It’s about women who are told they can’t fly, they can’t dance,” said Shah. “The film is a musical journey. It’s about the rise of twelve women and a girl.”

Shah went on to say: “Jal, vayu, aag, vijli ne varsad eno rasto shodhi le che (water, wind, fire, electricity and rain make their own way.) And when this occurs, it creates a euphoria called Hellaro.” Apart from the best feature film of the year award, the thirteen actresses of “Hellaro” received the Special Jury Award for their performances. They include Shraddha Dangar, Shachi Joshi, Neelam Paanchal, Brinda Nayak, Tejal Panchasara, and Kaushambi Bhatt.

Shah, who has also written the script, said that he drew inspiration for the story from folklore and many real-life instances. “I know a friend who restricts his wife’s social media access as he fears it will lead to infidelity,” Shah said. “She is allowed to post only pictures of gods and goddesses. This and other instances of male domination made me write the story.”

The film is set in 1975 in Kutch desert. The women are not allowed to leave their homes except to fetch water, said Prateek Gupta, the co-producer and editor of the film who has also written the screenplay with Shah. The film is slated for release in October. Noted playwright and poet Saumya Joshi has written the lyrics and additional screenplay and dialogues for “Hellaro”. Music has been scored by Mehul Surati, who has composed soundtracks for scores of Gujarati films. Cinematography is by Tribhuvan Babu Sadineni. The film also stars the popular Gujarati actor Jayesh More.

Another Gujarati film that bagged the national award is “Reva”, which won in the best Gujarati language film category. The 2018 Gujarati drama/adventure film is based on Dhruv Bhatt’s novel “Tatvamasi” and is directed by Rahul Bhole and Vinit Kanojia. The film, which was released last year, has received positive reviews. “Reva” is about a young Indian brought up in the US and his journey of self-discovery on the banks of the Narmada in Gujarat.

The national awards could give a major boost to the state’s nascent filmmaking culture and economy. Over the past few years, new filmmakers with fresh story ideas have ushered in a new wave of Gujarati cinema.


Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.